GCSE success rate rising, statistics show

More and more pupils are achieving five good GCSEs including English and maths, latest figures show.

An increasing number of pupils are achieving five good GCSEs

Of all the students who sat the exams this summer, 58.3 per cent reached that level â 4.8 per cent more than last year, according to Department for Education (DfE) statistics.

The rise in GCSE results has been fuelled by an increase in the numbers of international GCSEs accredited, many of which have had a large number of entries, the DfE suggested.

This is the second year running that the qualifications, which are favoured by many private schools, have been included in the results.

In state schools alone, 57.8 per cent of pupils scored five good grades, including English and maths, up 2.6 percentage points on 2009/10, while in private schools this figure rose to 75.6 per cent.

The combined results for all schools show that 78.8 per cent scored five or more GCSEs at C or above in any subjects.

They also show that girls continue to outperform the boys. While almost two-thirds (62.2 per cent) of girls at scored five or more C grades, including English and maths, 54.6 per cent of boys managed the same.

However, while the numbers of pupils achieving five good GCSEs, including the core subjects, is rising, many youngsters are still missing out on that target.

In total, around 262,000 youngsters left compulsory education without good grades this year, the figures show.

Todayâs stats also give the results achieved at academies, where 49.7 per cent of pupils hit the core target.

Schools minister Nick Gibb said: âThe government believes that teachers and head teachers know best how to run schools. Academy status gives professionals the freedom they need to do their job and todayâs figures show that that autonomy works.â